The Great Games
by Soras-Kingdom
Summary: This is my version of the 75th Hunger Games in my perspective; a 17 year old girl from district four. Thrust into the Hunger Games by unfortunate luck and forced to face what is The Great Games. Will the tables turn and the odds be in her favour?
1. The reaping

"Cherie Oakland". These two words are the words that would turn my life upside down.

I woke that morning to a horn sounding, just like every other morning. Except this morning wasn't like every other morning. Today was the morning of the reaping. The reaping for the 74th annual Hunger Games. My brother was weeping in the corner of the room. He is fifteen years old and I am seventeen. We come from district four—the fishing village.

As my mother walked into the room she looked at both my brother and I and said "I did this for the best of the family". And she left.

My brother and I both have our names in the reaping sixty times each. We went through a rough patch at the time the Hunger Games starting coming in to action. Mother was ill and we were low on supplies. In district four we usually don't have any trouble with supplies as what we don't send to the capitol, we keep for ourselves. This past month our water sources had been polluted, probably by the capitol scum. Most of the fish had died and the small amount that was left we had to send to them. I don't blame my mother for what she did, a lot of people do it, but I never thought she would risk her own kids like that.

I sifted through my draw until I found my aqua blue dress. Mother said she liked how it resembled rolling water. It made things calmer. I lifted the dress over my head and it flowed down my body in one swift movement. I rolled a pair of ankle white socks onto my feet and opened the draw under the one where my dress was. I found a dark blue shirt and a pair of over-sized pants for my brother. As I helped him button up his shirt he gave me a tight hug. I knew how scared he was. I was too. This was the first time that we ever had our names in there more than we had to.

The reaping was in the town square as always. At the reaping mother left my brother and I to get into our designated areas. The peacekeepers had us line up with the rest of the kids from district four.

"Name"

His voice was rough. It sounded strangely familiar. I replied, voice trembling.

"Cherie Oakland"

"Hand please"

I held out my hand for the peacekeeper to take. I felt a sharp prick on the tip of my forefinger. He laid down a card and pressed my finger to it.

"Head down to the second area, on the right"

I did as he told me. As I descended down the square I spotted many nervous faces and also many confident ones. I looked around for my brother but I couldn't spot him. Everything in the square went silent. This was the moment—the moment that would change two undeserving child's lives for good.


	2. The last day

I watched intently as the mayor of district four ascended. He stood on the stage with pride and meaning, like always. The static from the microphone buzzed through the air as he took a deep breath.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the reaping of the 74th Hunger Games. We will begin shortly after watching the short promotional video"

The promotional video was the same one as every year. Let me tell you it got no better. The Panem anthem played in the background of the video and images flashed across the screen. Everyone watched in awe, dreading what was to come next.  
As the video wrapped up and the anthem came to a close, all in the square went silent.

The mayor cleared his throat and said "Now is the time that we will chose the two tributes that will represent district four in the games. And may the odds be ever in your favour"

That quote always gave me the chills. The misconception of it really got under my skin. For two poor children this was not the case. I was just hoping that it would be in mine.

"Ladies first shall we?"

The bowl rattled as all the names inside tumbled about. Knowing that sixty of those were mine made my stomach churn.

"Okay, here we go"

This was it. The moment everyone had been anticipating. Who would it be? Which unfortunate person would be chucked into those games to face certain death? We watched. And we waited.

"Cherie Oakland". These truly were the two words are the words that would turn my life upside down.

I froze. Did I hear that right? Did he say me? I turned to others for recognition and the relief on their faces said it all. I was going into the 74th Hunger Games; the great games.

"Cherie Oakland? Can we please have you to the stage"

Even with everyone nudging me I just couldn't move. I was never going to come back from this. I didn't know the first thing about survival. I closed my eyes and watched as the last seventeen years of my life rushed by and was snatched from me.

"Cherie Oakland. We need to continue with the ceremony"

I slowly left my area and made my way up to the stage. All eyes were on me now

"Here she is!" My ears were ringing from the silence "Our first tribute for district four. What a star"

Everyone in the square clapped with pity

"And the other brave tribute that will be joining her is... Finnick Odair"

He looked just as nervous as I did. I didn't really have a lot to do with Finnick before now. He was the district heartthrob. Everybody loved Finnick and he knew it. Now I don't really have a choice.

"Thank you ladies and gentleman. You have a lovely afternoon off. Schedules will resume as usual tomorrow. Glorious tributes follow me please. You will have ten minutes to say your farewells"

We were steadily rushed through the mayor's manor and into separate rooms. All I could think about was how Finnick must be feeling. Even though I don't really know him I was sad for him.  
After a soundless moment there was a knock on my door. Mother rushed in and bundled me up. Holding me tightly as if to say she would never let me go. She was crying.

"Oh Cherie I am so sorry. This is all my fault. If only I hadn't sold you out for supplies. I am a terrible mother"

Her words pained me greatly. All her life she has done everything in her power to protect my brother and I. This time, the odds just weren't in my favour.


	3. To the Capitol

Finnick and I said our last goodbyes to our friends and families and made our way down to the train station. It was silent; we didn't even dare to look at each other. Finnick's eyes were full of wonder at what we were about to be thrown into, and at the same time full of sorrow. He had many friends here in district four and a good life. People would miss him if he weren't to return. I, on the other hand wasn't in the same position. I wasn't someone that people generally looked up to.

The train was already there when we arrived at the train station five minutes later. We had seen this train come into the district before when the capitol came to pick up supplies but it was so much bigger close up. The metal exterior illuminated and reflected the late morning sun.

"It's magnificent isn't it?"

I looked in Finnick's direction. He was in awe of the train. I don't know what he could be so excited about at this point. He's basically been given his death sentence and yet he still finds feelings of fascination. That's always what I admired about him. Even in the hardest of times he still found the silver linings. Like a few years back, when Annie came back from the 70th hunger games in a bad way. Finnick never left her side. And even though she was in a bad way, he never stopped loving her and he never gave up the hope that she would recover. You see people put on a brave face when stuff like this happens but really underneath that they are bottling up feelings of sorrow. Not Finnick though. He truly believed everything he said and therefore had no reason to be sad. I was so lost in these thoughts that I barely heard Finnick shouting my name.

"Cherie? Are you coming?"

Did I really have a choice?

Inside the train was even more magnificent than the outside. The interior was decorated with such class. Couches lined the walls around half of the cabin and a mahogany table surrounded by leather bench seats was located at the other end. As the trip would only take half a day, Finnick and I did not require bedrooms. I looked around to see Finnick sprawled out on one of the couches. He looked so serene. I lay down on the one opposite to him and close my eyes.

"Cherie"

"Yeah?" I said without much enthusiasm

His breathing was heavy and came in long slow rasps. He was thinking about how to word what he was going to say next. After a last long breath he finally spoke again.

"I really think we have a good shot at this. And im going to do everything in my power to make sure we are the last ones standing"

That is the last thing I remember before being shaken awake by unfamiliar faces. For a brief moment I thought the events of the last few hours were but mere dreams. That peace was once again shattered.

"You're alright? Come on love, get up. We are in the Capitol"


End file.
